Review of Burning Up (anthology)



Burning Up (goodreads.com)



Mass Market Paperback, 350 pages

Published August 3rd 2010 by Berkley

ISBN13: 9780425235959

Series: Psy-Changeling #8.5, Children of the Sea #3.5, Iron Seas 0.5

4 Stars

3 Flames (anthologies really are TOO short)

Whisper of Sin by Nalini Singh (homepage): I am one of those people that when I am reading a series I follow it order, including all anthologies. I do not want to miss anything. This one can be read anywhere in the series. The readers a given the back story to Ria, Lucas’s office administrator at Dark River Constructions headquarters. This story takes place before the first book. The readers learn how Ria came to be Lucas’s employee and how she meet her Changeling mate Emmett.

Blood and Roses by Angela Knight (homepage): I really need to read her books. I have read a hand full of short stories from various anthologies by Knight. She always delivers a great original sexy love story. As far as I can tell this is not part of any series. Amaris is a Blood Rose who is being forced to help an evil wizard. She finds an ally in sexy vampire Raniero.

Shifting Sea by Virginia Kantra (homepage): This short story can be read at any point in the Children of the Sea series. It takes place in 1812 Scotland. Morwenna is of the fin folk. She is trying to prove to her twin brother Morgan that she is capable of living on her own, out of the ocean. Jack has just returned, scared from battle to take his inheritance of a distant relative’s estate.

Here There Be Monsters by Meljean Brook (homepage): This story will make any reader kick themselves for not reading Brook’s Iron Seas series sooner! This is by far the best short story in the book. I loved the world she created. No one seems to be an unaltered human in it. Many characters have mechanical limbs or nanoagents living in their bodies. I cannot wait to read how fascinating this world will be in a full length book.

An Enchanted Season

An Enchanted Season

Melting Frosty by Maggie Shayne, 4 stars and 3 flames. This story was really too cute. Just think back to your childhood and Frosty and that old felt hat he wore. Shayne puts that hat to good use when hooking up complete opposites couple. Matthew and Holly have had huge losses in their lives and both handled them completely different.

Charlotte’s Web by Erin McCarthy, 4 stars and 4 flames. This is part of McCarthy’s Murphy Sister Series. I have also seen the series referred to as Ohio’s Most Haunted Town. This short story would be number two in the series. I read it out of order and completely skipped the first book. This story can be read alone and not leave the reader confused. Will and Charlotte are both extremely attracted to each other. The relationship develops quickly once they both decide to pursue each other. McCarthy writes great sex scenes!

Beat of Temptation by Nalini Singh, 4 stars and 4 flames. This is Tamsyn and Nate’s story. Per Singh’s website this should be read as number four in the series. If you have read any of the Psy-Changling books you that Nate and Tam are a mated couple with twins. Beat of Temptation is the story of how they got there. The level of sexual tension in this story is very high. Tam is a virgin and Nate is a decade older than her. He is trying to be the gentleman and give her time to enjoy growing up without him taking away her freedom and chance to experience life. They know they will be mated to each other, but this story still has plenty of pursuit.

Gifts of the Magi by Jean Johnson, 2 stars and 2 flames. I have read rekindles, completely new relationships, crushes finally acted upon. I have now read a strengthening. Steve and Rachel are already living together and engaged to get married. They own an Inn, several cows and chickens. They make their own cheese and use the goods from the farm to feed the Inn. I just never really connected with this story. I looked on the author’s website to see if it was part of a series, it was not mentioned. I thought it could possibly be part of a series due to the Three Wise Men like characters in the story. At the end of the story the author even sets up their next mission.



The Magical Christmas Cat



This book is filled with four short stories that revolve around Christmas and a cat. Two of the cats are the characters; one cat is the actual for legged variety pet that is always at the right place and the right time with the mistletoe, the other is a jade figurine that houses an evil demon.

Stroke of Enticement by Nalini Singh, 4 stars 3 flames. This is part of Singh’s Psy-Changling series. This short story can be skipped; the characters that are in the story do not have large roles in the other books. I personally would read it because it is a cute short read. It falls as 5.5 in the reading order for the series. Annie and Zach (leopard) are the couple in this story.

Christmas Bree by Erin McCarthy, 4 stars, 4 flames. I have seen this series referred to as two different things, The Murphy Sisters & Ohio’s Most Haunted Town. This is the second story to read in the series. I read them out of order and was not confused. Bree and Ian have been having some very hot and sexy dreams about each other. They come to find out they are actually having the same dreams. This is a sweet opposites attract story between the witch and the lawyer.

Sweet Dreams by Linda Winstead Jones, 2 stars, no flames. This romance begins like ever second grade little boy on the school yard when he declares his love to the girl by being an ass and insulting her. Zane actually approaches Ruby at a party to give her back the Secret Santa gift she had gifted him with. From there he just ends up trying to protect her from an evil that is coming for her. I like an attraction and pursuit with the romances that I read. I also like to read the sex scenes. This story was missing those three aspects. I found it interesting that the cat in this story is an evil demon.

Christmas Heat by Lora Leigh, 4 stars 4 flames. This story is number 17 in the Breed series. It is Noble (jaguar) and Haley’s story. It takes place in New York close to the feline compound. I love the buildup of sexual attraction in this series. Noble is exactly what his name implies, noble. He is trying to protect the woman who he is attracted to while not forcing the mating heat on her. Haley is trying to work through her attraction emotions and how to deal with a relationship with a Breed male.